Shoe-tree



Nov. 29, 1927. 1,651,329

C. A. ELMSTROM SHOE TREE Filed Nov. 26. 1926 cfr .26. y.: y

PatentedV Nov. l279, 19127.

` .UNITED STATES 4PATENT OFFICE.

1 CARLA. ELMsrRoM, oF Vlvniznronn, MASSACHUSETTS.

stron-TREE.

Applicatibn fned NovemberY 26,1326. serial No. 150,686.

This invention relates to an expansibleV shoe tree or stretcher adapted to be put into a shoe to hold it in shape ywhen `not being.

worn or to stretch it for the purpose of changing its shape. I am aware of the fact that many devices for this purpose have been produced. y

Theprincipal objects of this invention.` are i to provide a device for this purpose, of sim- Other objects andadvantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.A

Reference is to lbe had to the accompanying drawings Vin'which Fig. `1 is a side view of a shoe stretcher1 constructed in accordancewith Athis invention.; Y Y

Fig. A2 is a plan of the same with parts in section showing the parts before they are contracted; y Y

Fig.` 3 is a similar view with the partsin their 'fullest expanded position;

Fig. 4. is an end view of the toe party in contracted position withy the connecting parts in section on the transverse line ifa of Fig. 2;k

Fig.' 5 is a -horizontalsection on enlarged scale onthe line 5-5 of Fig. 1; and.;

Fig 6 `is avcentral transverse sectional view of the parts shown in Fig. 5.

I haveshown the invention in a form ink which it comprises a heel member 10 of` convex shapethroughout for fitting into the heel ofthe shoe. To this is rigidly xed ya rod 11 which is provided with teeth 12 along, oneside. This constitutes a rack which cooperates with a rack 13 on a rod 14,' operated by means, which `I will describe later, for the purpose `of forcing the.

two rodsll' and 111 longitudinally apart to expand and contract the device.V

The 4rod 14: is pivotedto a link 15 to which is fixedly secured awedge 16 which may be merely a flat plate with awedgeshaped surfaceonl one side and terminating on the other side in the link 15. part-s preferably are Aof integral construction, and formedV of sheet metal. The link is provided with a slot or slots` 17 through which pass pins 18 driven into ya member 19 which constitutes one part vof theY toe member andl projecting into passages in the i" other part '2O of the toe member. These two toe members together constitute the v.entire front part of the device and they are divided from each other along a substantially vertical plane. The pins 18 are free to slide in the passagesfin the toe member 20 and are provided with heads under which are springs 21. These springs are located in'. enlarged recesses 22, each havingv a bottom or shoulder.` Thereforewhen theA two ytoe parts are forcedrfapart they separate in a lateral direction, the parts moving in parallel planes. These springs always tend to bring the two parts together into their closed or contracted position. vThey constitute thel These two only means for closing. the toe and the wedge 16 the only means foropening and spreading it. f

The two'racks'12 and 13 it will be noticed, i

Vare provided `withsimple' lflat teeth easily made on the surface of the wire rods on which they are located. Theseteeth are on the sides and these sides are located on the innersides of the rods/so that an operating pinion can engage'thetwo racks on opposite s1desA and'when turned move rboth racks in opposite directions.' This makes 1t easyto expand and contract the whole device because the heel andA toeare forced apart twice as far as has been the custom heretofore for each, portion of a turn of the pinyion 25. This pinion is mounted on a rod 26 which is provided with a handle 27 fixed thereon for operating it. This pinion is provided with a conical surface in which the Vteethyof the pinion are cutA or otherwise formed. It is locatedjin asimilar4 shaped conical yopening through a block 28 in which vitis supported and which has passages for the rods 11 and 14. Above thisy block is a spring v29 bearing on the top of theblock and on the bottom of the handle 27. f

In operation'the user depresses the handle 27 against the opposition of the spring 29 andthus brings the conical pinion 25 esY Vdown outofintimatel Contact with' the sides of the conical passzige .in the block which it norlnallv engaglges. This leaves the whole rotatable leature oit the device tree no that it can be turned with no :frictional resistance" to I`apeak ot. Then the ehoe tree is expanded the operator, of course, will have to let go ol the handle and leave it expanded in the position in which it has been. `The springl is .now l'ree to raise the handle and with it the conical pinion so that the si tacefol" the latter will contact throughout its arca with the conical surface ol the passage. 'llhiS supplies` ilriction through the pinion around its teeth and therefore furnishes a considerw able resistance acja inst the cont action ot the Shoo stretcher. Thisl insures; that it will remain in ite expanded position,`

O1" course, it will be obvious that when the exllianeion taires place by the forcing' of the link l5 toward the toe the wedge 1G will cooperate with the 4wedge surface iinside the toe piece lland torce the two parts awav freni each other ne shown in Fig. 3.

This constitutes a simple device for this purpose which will not contract automati cally a'lter it has once heen expanded and which has no complicated mechanism or tem tores. lt :is easily` and cheaply lnanutactured and convenientlyY Inanii'nilated by the user. It has all the advantages oif the ordinary Stretcher and the additional ones above inentioned. i

Although l have illnstrated and described only a single Al'orin o't' the, invention, I ani aware ot the `:tact that inodiiications can be nia-de therein h v any person skilled :in the art without departing troni the scope oit the invention as expressed in the claims. l`horetore l do not wish to he limited, in these .rei-:petits but what I do claini isz-- l. In a shoe stretcher, the combination with a tm and heel part, oil a. rod extending troni cach one toward the other, .said rods being connected with both parts and havingr racks on their faces. a` pinion engaging both racks for expanding and contracting the stretcher longitinlinallv, and .means whereby when the stretcher lett in the shoe, :l'riction will he placed autolmitically on the pinion to prevent contraction ot the stretcher.

AIn a shoe Stretcher, the conibination with a pair et racha, a toe piece and a heel piece coiinectcd with the two racks to be Operated thereby, ot' a block having guides Afor the racks and provided with a conical passage therein, a handle extending;r into the passage in Said block and having;l teeth upon it for engaging the rac-lis,,whereby the tnrning of the handle will more both racks in oppositie directions-s, the handle having a conical surface on which lsaid teeth are located, whereb)7 when the handle is depressed the toothed portion willbe tree to turn to operate the racks and can he moved into close engagement with the conical passage te apply a. frietional resistance against the turning of the handle;

3. ln a shoe tree, the eolnliiination with a block having two parallel passages therethrouglr and a pair et rods extending'into the block in opposite directions and having teeth on their sides, said block l'niving a conical passage therethrough between the racks, ot a handle having a rod provided with a conical Surface .tittinn' said conical passage and having teeth extending therearound and engagingr both racks, and a. :springr 'tor 'torcing the handle and rod longi` tndinally to bringr the conical Surface into trictional engagement with the conical pasaagre when the handle is released.

l. ln a ehoe tree, the combination with a block having two guidegand a pair of rods externlinn into the `raides in opposite directions and having` teeth, eaid block having a conical paeage therethrough between the racl-:sq ol a handle provided with a conical surface littincY the conical passage and havinif teeth exteniiling therearonnd and engag# ing;` hoth racks, a. spring for forcing the handle longitudixnillv to bring the conical surface into trictionalengagement with the passage when the handle released, a heel portion connected with one of the racks and a toe portion connected with the other, the toe portimi coniprisilrclr two members, one ha ving;1 a slanting surface inside, and a wedge extending;r into one ol Said toe incnibera only to engage raid slantiingr surface :for forc-` ing; theni apart. y

5. In ay shoe tree, theiconflbinationwith a heel portion and a toe portion, the toe portion comprisingY two nieniliere, one havingl a slant-ineil surface ineidc and the othe f an` adjacent longitudinal surface, a plurality of transverse guides secured to one and. pro'- iettil'ltlr into the other to canse the `two ineinhcrs to inove toward and troni each other by a parallel motion, said guides havingeprings Vfor normally forcing the two rnemherstoward each other, and a wedge extending into one ol' said toe inenibere onlyr to engage said slantiogr suriliace for 'forcing them apart.

(i. '.l'n a shoe stretcher, the combination with a pair ol' racks, a toe pieeeand"a-lieel piece connected with the two racks tol he operated thereby, oi a block havin a conical paesage therein.` a handle extending into the pan-fage .in said block and having teethupon it ,toi engaging the racks, the handle having a conical Surface, whereby when the handlie is depressed the conical portion will be `free to tnrn to operate the racks and can be niovednto close engagement withi the conical passage to apply a trictional resistance against the turningr of the handle.

wIn testimony whereof I `have herenntoaffixed my signature.

,canili A. ELMSTROM. i 

